There may be someone in Milton who speaks with more confidence and authority about this town and its government than Charlie McCarthy, but it is hard to think of who that might be.

McCarthy is largely a self made man. And like most entrepreneurs, he will tell you, “I always see a glass that’s half full.”

We met at McCarthy’s house. Looking out his kitchen window, McCarthy pointed to a series of raised beds where he plants stuff every spring. A lot of people know McCarthy, but who knew he was a farmer?

But this spring he may not have time to get down on his knees. This year the campaign season is interfering with the sowing season.

Who is Charlie McCarthy?

Charlie McCarthy is a product of the Milton Public Schools who has served the town in ways both appointed (Warrant Committee) and elected (Board of Selectmen).

McCarthy has managed his own businesses for 20+ years. Initially, he was a contractor and managed a team that installed equipment at factories and manufacturing firms.  As a small businessmen, he has had to deal with budgets, audits, payroll and taxes. After a while, the travel and the requirements of the job came up against family life and the fact that he wasn’t getting any younger. Installing conveyor belts and the like 20 feet above a factory floor somewhere hundreds of miles from home and family got tiring. So he recast his business.

Now he is a manufacturer’s representative. As a result, his life is saner and travel less frequent. He likes his lot in life, saying that in considering whether to run for treasurer, “I had to think long and hard about [possibly] leaving this business.”

Why Charlie McCarthy for Treasurer?

Not surprisingly, McCarthy believes his extensive experience in service to the town provides him with a unique knowledge and understanding of the office of  Treasurer that the other candidates cannot match.

As chairman of the Warrant committee, he relied heavily on the financial projections given him by the Town Treasurer Kevin Sorgi. And he appreciates that those projections “are as much art as science.” As an example ,he cited estimating revenue from excise taxes. The amount of revenue driven by excise taxes is a function of the age of the cars owned by residents, the number of new cars to be bought, and the relative price points. That is not an easy number to pin down.

He also interacted with the Treasurer as a Selectman, but McCarthy does not rely solely on his experience with the position and insights it has given him. “I have done my homework.” Keeping him company on his dining room table are the last two Town of Milton Annual Reports along with a hefty copy of the Treasurers Manual. “I’ve read it cover to cover.” He then commences on a discussion of town funds– those the Treasurer is responsible for administering versus those for which he is simply the custodian. He speaks about the responsibilities and what he views as the priorities of the office. He is clear on that: managing cash flow.

What comes through as McCarthy speaks is not just confidence but a certain enthusiasm. As he will plainly tell you, “Every minute of every day, I am trying to learn.”

Achievements

Asked about his achievements, McCarthy identifies two. The first is personal: putting his two daughters through Dartmouth. The second is the new home that was built for the Council on Aging.

When a the need arose to find a new home for the Council on Aging, a lot of consideration was given to housing it at the Kidder Library, but it seemed that location was flawed at best for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that there is no ground-level entrance.  McCarthy looked at what other towns had done and saw a better solution in Westwood. With that as the model for what Milton should achieve, a team went to work and the result is on Walnut Street.

At the end of the day

When asked what the treasurer could do differently, McCarthy said, “I would not do anything differently than Sorgi did.” McCarthy is quick to point out that  Kevin Sorgi has been the leading vote getter of any candidate for any office, period. The additional goals he has have more to do with the culture of town hall. “I’d like to make town hall warmer, friendlier, and more welcoming.”